The Singapore Taekwondo Federation (STF) extends our heartiest congratulations to national Virtual Taekwondo (VTKD) athlete, Ms. Janelle Chia, on receiving the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Award.
This award recognises not only academic excellence but also outstanding leadership, character, and contributions to the community, qualities that Janelle exemplifies both on and off the mats.
A Journey of Grit, Growth, and Gratitude
For Janelle, the award represents the culmination of a dedicated two-year journey that began with a spark of encouragement during her first year at ITE College Central, where she pursued a NITEC in Aerospace Avionics. “Receiving the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Award is a great honour, and I feel truly grateful,” Janelle shared. “Since Year 1, this award became a meaningful goal after my Class Advisor encouraged me to work towards it. This recognition reminds me of the hard work, growth, and challenges I experienced over the past two years, as well as the support from my teachers, coaches, organisation, friends, and family.”
Rather than viewing the award as a final destination, Janelle sees it as a springboard for the future: “I am deeply thankful for this award, and I see it as motivation to keep improving and striving to do better in 2026 and beyond.”
Honouring the Village Behind the Success
Behind every great athlete and student is a robust support system. In celebrating her achievement, Janelle dedicated the award to the mentors, educators, and teammates who have anchored her through her highs and lows.
She expressed her deepest gratitude to the Singapore Taekwondo Federation (STF), her coaches, teammates, and the wider Taekwondo community for their constant guidance. She also credited the supportive environment at ITE College Central, specifically thanking her Class Advisor, Mr. Julian Tan, and her course managers and directors, for believing in her and supporting her throughout her ITE journey.
Janelle also remembered those who supported her mental resilience from her formative years, extending thanks to her secondary school counsellors from Meridian Secondary School, Mr. Shu Shi Rong and Mr. Teo Weiyang, as well as her family and friends. “This award belongs to everyone who has walked this journey with me.”, she expressed.
Setting Sights on the World Stage
As a trailblazer in the fast-evolving arena of Virtual Taekwondo, Janelle is already looking ahead to her next chapters in sport and life. Her lofty high-performance goals for the coming years are well-balanced with a deeply grounded mindset.
Over the next few years, she will be striving to elevate her VTKD technical skills, physical fitness and mental fortitude to be selected to represent Singapore in major international competitions to come.
Continuous self-improvement remains are focus. Janelle was certain that it is “more than just chasing results”. She humbly added: “I want to stay committed to the process, remain humble, and keep learning through every training, setback, and experience. I hope to become stronger, more resilient, and more prepared for every opportunity ahead. My goal is to keep testing my limits and continue becoming a better version of myself, both in sport and in life.”
The STF community is incredibly proud of Janelle’s achievements. She serves as a shining role model for our young athletes, proving that with discipline, passion, and the right mindset, excellence is always within reach. STF wishes her the very best as she continues to fly the Singapore flag high in both her sporting and personal pursuits!